Buoyancy-Enhanced Saftey Garment

Abstract

The present invention discloses a personal garment constructed with a buoyancy-enhancing feature whose purpose is to provide the garment wearer with the ability to float on the surface of the water for an extended period of time with minimal expenditure of energy in a water environment in order to prevent drowning. The buoyancy enhancing feature may comprise several configurations. One configuration consists of a compressed fluid canister apparatus constructed within the garment that is activated by the garment wearer. Another configuration comprises a garment constructed in part of a fabric manufactured with minute particles of a buoyancy-enhancing material encapsulated within the fabric substance. Another configuration consists of the incorporation of one or more removable buoyancy-enhancing panels into pockets constructed within the garment. In each configuration, the buoyancy enhancement is achieved by increasing the composite volume and decreasing the composite density of the combined garment and the garment wearer. The invention is intended to increase the safety of individuals participating in water-related activities such as swimming or boating in an ocean, lake, or river, where the ability to remain in a floating position on the surface of the water without expending additional effort for an extended period of time could make a critical difference in the outcome of an emergency situation.

1 : A garment for rapidly and efficiently enhancing the buoyancy of the garment wearer in a water environment, comprising:
 a) a garment; and   b) a buoyancy-enhancing apparatus that is constructed to be incorporated into said garment.   
     
     
         2 : A buoyancy-enhancing apparatus according to  claim 1  consisting of a canister constructed within said garment and filled with a compressed fluid material that can be released into a secondary cavity constructed within said garment wherein said fluid expands upon release to increase the volume of said garment while decreasing its density, thus increasing the composite volume and decreasing the composite density of said garment wearer and said garment. 
     
     
         3 : A buoyancy-enhancing apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said buoyancy-enhancing apparatus is adapted to provide said garment wearer with the means to control his buoyancy in a water environment by manual means consisting of an activation button on the garment which activates said canister apparatus. 
     
     
         4 : A buoyancy-enhancing apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said buoyancy-enhancing apparatus is adapted to include a supplemental pump as an additional means to manually activate said buoyancy-enhancing apparatus in the event that said canister fails to operate when said activation button is pressed. 
     
     
         5 : A buoyancy-enhancing apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said buoyancy-enhancing apparatus consists of a garment fabric constructed with minute particles of a buoyancy-enhancing material encapsulated within said fabric. 
     
     
         6 : A buoyancy-enhancing apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said buoyancy-enhancing apparatus consists of at least one insertable and removable buoyancy-enhancing panel adapted to be inserted into a receiving pocket constructed within said garment. 
     
     
         7 : A garment according to  claim 1  wherein said garment is adapted to signal its on/off operational status. 
     
     
         8 : A garment according to  claim 1  wherein said garment is adapted to signal to an observer that said wearer is in distress.